JPH0117301B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic answering machine having a remote listening function that allows a message from a caller recorded on a recording tape to be listened to from a remote location. .

(b) Prior art An automatic answering machine performs an incoming call operation in response to a ringing signal coming from a telephone line, sends a response message recorded on an answering tape to the caller, and then receives a message from the caller. However, recently, in addition to this function, there is also a so-called remote listening function that allows the message from the caller recorded on the recording tape to be played back and listened to from a remote location. 2. Description of the Related Art Automatic answering machines with automatic answering functions have become widespread. The remote listening operation of such an automatic answering machine having a remote listening function is performed by rewinding the recording tape using a remote control signal and then switching to the playback mode. If the number of messages can be recognized during remote listening operation, the remote listener will be able to know the time required to listen to the message, which will be extremely convenient. A technique for notifying a remote listener of the number of calls received while one is away is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 18311/1983, but such technology does not count the number of incoming calls once a remote listening operation is performed. Since the count number of the counter becomes zero, when the remote listening operation is performed for the second time, the number of incoming calls after the first remote listening operation will be notified. If there is only one remote listener, there is no problem with this technique, but if there are multiple remote listeners, the content of the message heard by each remote listener will be different.

(c) Purpose of the Invention The present invention provides an automatic answering machine configured to notify a remote listener of the number of incoming calls during remote listening operation, in which the same message recorded on a recording tape can be listened to multiple times. The aim is to provide a device that allows people to listen.

(D) Structure of the Invention The present invention includes a first counter circuit for counting the number of incoming calls and a second counter circuit to which the count value of the first counter circuit is preset when a remote control signal is received, and By counting down only the count value, the number of incoming calls before remote listening is notified.

(E) Embodiment The illustrated block diagram is an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is the connection terminal for the telephone line, 2
1 is a control unit of the automatic answering machine, and is composed of a call receiving circuit, a drive control circuit for answering tape, recording tape, and the like. 3 is a first terminal from which a pulse-like count signal is output when the incoming circuit operates in response to a ringing signal arriving from the telephone line and a connection with the telephone line is made; 4 is a remote control from a remote listener; This is a second terminal that outputs a control signal when a signal is received. 5 is a first counter circuit having an input terminal 6 connected to the first terminal 3 provided in the control section 2 and counting the number of count signals output from the first terminal 3; It is equipped with an output terminal 7.
Reference numeral 8 denotes a plurality of input terminals 9 connected to the output terminal 7 of the first counter circuit 5 and the control section 2
It has a preset enable terminal 10 connected to a second terminal 4 provided at 2 counter circuit, and includes a down terminal 11 and a plurality of output terminals 12. Reference numeral 13 denotes an inversion holding circuit whose input terminal is connected to the second terminal 4, and which performs an inversion operation and maintains the state when a control signal is output from the second terminal 4 in response to reception of a remote control signal; 15 is a first oscillator which starts an oscillating operation when the inversion/holding circuit 13 is inverted to the operating state and outputs a pulse signal at a H (high) level for a predetermined period, for example, 0.5 seconds and an L (low) level for 1 second. It is a second oscillator that outputs an audible signal and is configured to output an audible signal and send it to a remote listener through the control unit 2 every time a pulse signal from the first oscillator 14 is applied. The pulse signal from the first oscillator 14 is applied to the down terminal 11 of the second counter circuit 8, and has the effect of causing the count value of the second counter circuit 8 to count down. 16 is
It is a NOR circuit, the input terminal is connected to the output terminal 12 of the second counter circuit 8, and the output terminal is the reset terminal of the inversion holding circuit 13 and rewinds the recording tape on which the message from the caller is recorded. It is connected to the input terminal of the rewind control circuit 17. A reset switch 18 returns the count value of the first counter circuit 5 to zero.

The present invention is constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained next. In the standby state and the state where the remote listener does not send a remote control signal, the inversion holding circuit 1
3 is in a non-inverting state, and the first oscillator 14, second oscillator 15 and rewind control circuit 17 are in a non-operating state. When a call signal arrives in the standby state, the incoming call circuit that constitutes the control unit 2 operates to establish a connection with the telephone line, send a response message recorded on the response tape to the caller, and then send the response message from the caller. A predetermined operation is performed in which the message is recorded on a recording tape for a predetermined period of time and the device returns to a standby state. The response recording operation is performed in this way, but when an incoming call is received, a count signal is output from the first terminal 3 and applied to the input terminal 6 of the first counter circuit 5, so that the first counter circuit 5 starts counting. Perform the action. A count signal is outputted from the first terminal 3 every time a response recording operation of the above-mentioned automatic answering machine is performed, and the first counter circuit 5 counts the number of times.

As described above, the normal response recording operation and the counting operation of the number of incoming calls by the first counter circuit 5 are performed, but next, the remote listening operation will be explained. When the remote listener sends a remote control signal after calling the automatic answering machine, the second terminal 4 of the control unit 2
A control signal is outputted from the counter circuit 8, and the control signal is applied to the preset enable terminal 10 of the second counter circuit 8 and the inverting/holding circuit 13. When a control signal is applied to the preset enable terminal 10 of the second counter circuit 8, the count value counted by the first counter circuit 5 is preset to the second counter circuit 8, and the count value corresponding to the preset count value is preset to the second counter circuit 8. The resulting signal is output from the output terminal 12. When an H level signal is output from the output terminal 12, the output of the NOR circuit 16 which receives the signal becomes L level. When the control signal from the second terminal 4 is applied to the inversion holding circuit 13, the inversion holding circuit 13 is inverted to the operating state. When the inversion/holding circuit 13 is inverted to the active state, the first oscillator 14 becomes active and outputs a pulse signal at a predetermined period. As a result of the pulse signal from the first oscillator 14 being applied to the second oscillator 15, an audible signal is output every time a pulse signal is applied from the second oscillator 15 and is sent to a remote listener through the control unit 2. Ru. Further, the pulse signal from the first oscillator 14 is applied to the down terminal 11 of the second counter circuit 8 to cause the count value of the second counter circuit 8 to count down. When the second counter circuit 8 performs a down-count operation and the count value of the second counter circuit 8 becomes zero, all outputs of the output terminal 12 become L level.
The output of the NOR circuit 16 is inverted from L level to H level. As a result, the inversion holding circuit 13 is reset and returned to the non-operating state, and accordingly, the first oscillator 14 and the second oscillator 15 become non-operating, and no audible signal is transmitted to the remote listener. It disappears. Further, when the output of the NOR circuit 16 is inverted from the L level to the H level, the rewind control circuit 17 to which this signal is applied is inverted to the operating state and rewinds the recording tape on which the caller's message is recorded. . The number of audible signals sent to the remote listener is therefore determined by the first counter circuit 5 which is preset in the second counter circuit 8.
The count value is the number of incoming calls that came in while you were away, and the remote listener can recognize the approximate number of messages before starting to listen to the messages using the remote control. After the recording tape is rewound, a well-known remote listening operation is performed and the automatic answering machine returns to the standby state.

As described above, when the remote listener sends out a remote control signal, the count value counted in the first counter circuit 5 is preset in the second counter circuit 8, and the count value preset in the second counter circuit 8 is counted down. The count value of the second counter circuit 8 returns to zero, but the count value of the second counter circuit 8 returns to zero.
The count value of the counter circuit 5 does not change. Therefore, when an incoming call operation is performed after the remote listening operation is completed and the standby state is returned, the first counter circuit 5 performs a counting operation, and the count value of the first counter circuit 5 is added to the count value before remote listening. and increase. Therefore, next time the remote listener sends out a remote control signal to perform a remote listening operation, the above-described operation is performed and the count value of the first counter circuit 5 is preset in the second counter circuit 8. Therefore, the number of audible signals that are equal to the number of new calls received during the first remote listening operation will be sent to the remote listener. As a result, the remote listener can listen to all messages recorded on the recording tape. Further, when the reset switch 18 is closed, the first counter circuit 5 is reset and its count value becomes zero.

(F) Effects of the Invention The present invention is designed so that when a remote listener sends out a remote control signal in order to remotely listen to a message from a caller recorded on a recording tape, an audible signal equal to the number of incoming calls is sent out. Therefore, the remote listener not only knows the approximate number of messages recorded on the recording tape before remote listening, but also rewinds the recording tape when the audible signal is finished being transmitted. This makes it possible to perform remote listening operations quickly and is extremely convenient. Furthermore, even if a remote listening operation is performed, the counter circuit provided to count the number of incoming calls is not reset, and the number of incoming calls performed after remote listening is added up and counted. Next, when performing a remote listening operation, it is possible to recognize the number of incoming calls from the beginning, and it is also possible to listen to all messages, and the present invention has a very large effect when multiple people perform a remote listening operation. It is something that plays.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The illustrated block diagram is one embodiment of the present invention. Explanation of main drawing numbers, 2...Control unit, 5...First counter circuit, 8...Second counter circuit, 10
...Preset enable terminal, 11 ... Down terminal, 13 ... Inversion holding circuit, 14 ... First oscillator, 15 ... Second oscillator, 17 ... Rewind control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an automatic answering machine with a remote listening function that allows a message from a caller recorded on a recording tape to be heard remotely, a signal is output every time a call is received due to the arrival of a paging signal. a first counter circuit that counts the number of signals as they are input and holds the count value until reset; a first oscillator that starts oscillation upon reception of the remote control signal;
When a remote control signal is received, the count value of the first counter circuit is preset, and at the same time, the signal output from the first oscillator is applied to the down terminal of the second counter circuit, and the count value is down-counted.
a counter circuit; and a second oscillator that outputs an audible signal each time the signal output from the first oscillator is applied.
It is comprised of an oscillator, and a rewind control circuit that enters an operating state when the count value of the second counter circuit becomes zero due to a down-count operation and performs a rewind operation of the recording tape, when receiving a remote control signal. Presetting the count value of the first counter circuit in the second counter circuit, and down-counting the count value of the second counter circuit by the output signal of the first oscillator, and an audible signal output from the second oscillator. is transmitted to a remote listener, and when the count value of the second counter circuit becomes zero, the oscillation operation of the first oscillator is stopped and the recording tape is unwound by the operation of the rewind control circuit. An automatic answering machine is characterized in that it performs a return operation.